- Home
- Sports Betting
- Soccer
Online Soccer Betting Tips, Odds & Best Soccer Betting Sites for 2024
By John Isaac,Editor at online-gambling.com
John Isaac
Editor at online-gambling.com
| Rules Diffuculty | Medium |
|---|---|
| Betting Types | 99+ |
| Payout | 95.00% -?96.50% |
| How to Win | Tips & Strategies |
| Where to Bet | William Hill |
Soccer Betting Guide: How to Begin
Welcome to our extensive soccer betting guide, where we aim to provide pro tips and tricks for punters. Although the internet is saturated with information about soccer betting (as they call in in the USA), we believe that our expertise can be of use for many of you who want to know how to bet on soccer.
Before we get on with the essence, however, there’re a few basics that you need to know first. More precisely, you need to familiarize yourself with the best soccer betting sites where you’ll get plenty of markets, high payouts, offers, and more. This is especially important for bettors who seek the finest standard there is.
Best Online Soccer Betting Site to Bet for Real Money:
Top Offer
Another critical requirement is knowing the rules of the game. You definitely shouldn’t play for real money until you know everything about online soccer betting. Hence, that will be the next topic at hand in our betting on soccer guide, so make sure to pay attention to the next paragraph.
Rules for Betting on Soccer
In a nutshell, a soccer game consists of two teams who face each other, each having 11 players on the field. Generally, when betting on soccer, there’re three possible outcomes – home win, draw, and away win. All professional soccer games have two halves with each lasting for 45 mins and a total of 90 mins until the final whistle.
The team that has scored more goals is the winning one unless the result is even, and then the game ends in a draw. The top soccer betting sites offer the highest odds for each possible outcome , which is why the tipsters love them. Have a look at the table below, where we illustrate other vital rules of soccer betting.
| Rule | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Choose Your Match | The first step is picking a soccer game on which you wish to place your bet. The pre-match odds are often a subject of change for various reasons, so don’t rely solely on them. Check all team news before making your final decision. |
| Select a Market | After you’ve chosen your fixture, pick a market on which you want to wager and add it to your bet slip. Then enter the desired amount and confirm your bet. |
| Exploit Promotions | It’s a prevalent practice by the best bookies to give enhanced odds and other promotions for soccer. Use them wisely, and you can potentially increase your margins. |
| Utilize Cash Out | The cashout feature is one of the best perks of online soccer betting. It’s essential to get a grasp of it and know when to use it. It’s best used for 90% or more of your potential win, or to minimize losses. |
| Void Bet | Sometimes when betting on soccer, you’ll encounter void bets. They occur when a clash has been suspended, and therefore the bookie voids all bets placed on it. This means that you’ll get your wager back. |
Becoming more efficient at online soccer betting requires a lot of effort and dedication as any other craft. Investing time into acquiring the full set of tools will inevitably make you a better punter. Betting on soccer might not be as complicated as stock trading, for instance, but it still requires a strong foundation of knowledge and competence.
Betting Types
Grasping the concept of betting types is crucial if your ambition is improving your soccer betting strategy. Like every other sport, soccer betting has its specifics that require thorough research that includes recent team form, lineup, missing players, etc. Inevitably, this information reflects on the betting lines offered by the bookies.
The best soccer betting sites are quick to adjust their money lines accordingly. So, it’s always a smart move to follow the odds movement because the professional traders often know things that average punters don’t. There’re over 90 different markets, but most of them revolve around these 10 most common soccer betting types.
| Betting Type | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Fulltime Result | Also known as 1×2, betting on the end winner is the oldest way of wagering on soccer. Here the possible outcomes a 3 – home win, draw and away win. |
| Double Chance | This soccer betting type improves your chances of winning but lowers the odds. When using the double chance, the punter faces again 3 different options – 1x, x2, or 12. |
| Draw No Bet (DNB) | Simply put, the DNB bet returns your money when the fixture ends in a draw. However, as compared to Double Chance, the odds are much higher, hence a better option depending on the situation. |
| Both Teams to Score (BTTS) | This is an excellent method of wagering your bet if you believe that the teams possess an equal chance of scoring. For instance, there’s hardly an El Classico game without goals at both ends. |
| Goals Over/Under | This betting type is slightly confusing at first, due to the 0.5 goal mark. Since half a goal is impossible to be scored, the often-used over 2.5 goals line simply means that the game should have at least 3 goals scored. |
| Corners | This soccer betting market is relatively new and, in a way, similar to the goals, as it also implies over/under condition. The standard pre-match corners line is usually 10.5 corners for the match. |
| Asian Handicap (AH) | If you believe that the strong favorite will win with at least 2 goals, for example, you can take the -1.5 AH spread at a much higher margin. This soccer betting tips also apply for other markets such as AH goal line and AH corners. |
| Half Time/Full Time (HT/FT) | A more advanced variation of the Match Winner bet with much higher odds. The end goal is to guess the winner of HF as well as FT. Predicting correctly only one of the half times will result in a lost bet. |
| Correct Score | One of the trickiest betting markets with the highest reward. Predicting the correct score of a soccer match requires more than skills, but rather a perfect 6th sense and a lot of luck. |
| Cards | A derby match is usually very electrified and sees a lot of misconducts that are punished with yellow and red cards by the referee of the game. When you study the head-to-head stats, you can find a lot of hidden gems, especially in Italy and England. |
Creating multiple bets from two or more matches is a great way to increase your potential win. Some sportsbooks also allow you to take different markets from the same soccer game and put them into your bet slip. You can even throw some other sports into the mix if you’re familiar with them. So it might come in handy reading our tennis betting guide.
Soccer Betting Terms
The soccer betting terms are just as important as the rest of the rules. Every sport has some specific terminology; thus, we’ve collated the most common ones for soccer. Among the popular bet types, which we’ve already explained earlier, there a few other definitions that you need to know.
- Accumulator – also known as ACCA, parlay, and combo, is a multiple combination bet, that includes several sports events into your wagering ticket. Soccer accumulator bets give you the possibility to include betting systems.
- Betting Systems – there are many different systems, but the common thing is that you don’t need to predict all outcomes successfully to win. One of the most popular soccer betting systems is Trixie, where guessing 3 out of 4 games guarantees profit.
- Price Boost – enhanced soccer betting odds are very common when there’s a big event coming, such as Champions League knockout or a derby match. The bookmakers give price boosts on bankers to keep punters satisfied.
- Banker – a parlay of the safest tips, which are usually with very low odds between 1.10 – 1.30. Some systems require bankers, so it’s wise to bet on huge favorites that have a high chance of a win.
- Bet Builder – an exclusive option for soccer games only, that allows players to create custom wager ticket with up to 6 markets from the same match. You can also create an ACCA with 2 or more bet builders in your betting slip.
- Scorecast – a very complicated and risky bet that requires you to guess the correct score of the match and the first goalscorer. A scorecast is considered a fun bet rather than a way of earning a profit.
- Outright – a long term bet that aims to predict the winner of the league/tournament at the end of the season. Other outright markets include the relegating team, top 4, top goalscorer, etc.
- Extra Time – two additional halves of 15 mins each are awarded when an elimination game didn’t produce a final winner. If, at the end of the ET, the result is still tied, the game continues with a penalty shootout.
- Penalty Shootout – it occurs when the rules of the tournament require a final winner. If the regular time plus the extra time ends in a draw, both teams will take 5 shots each from the 12-yards spot (11 m).
Now that you know the most popular soccer terminologies, you’re one step closer to beginning your real money journey. Betting on soccer is an intricate craft, and mastering it is far from easy. So, when you invest time into learning the proper soccer betting terms, you can become a professional tipster.
Soccer Betting Odds & Payouts
The most popular sport in the world has an incredible diversity of odds and payouts. The soccer betting odds could be as low as 1.10 to up to 50+ on pre-match. Of course, in-play payouts have even larger margins when the winning outcome could be as little as 1.001 while something deemed impossible will be valued at 501.
Making a value bet strongly depends on the online soccer betting sites, as some are well-known for their high odds and price boosts. Finding an overvalued price works well in your favor when seeking a winning tip with high probability. Keep in mind that the traders take into consideration the importance of the tournament when making the payouts. Below you can find some examples.
| League/Tournament | Nation | Continent | Payout % |
|---|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | Worldwide | Worldwide | 96.50% |
| UEFA Champions League | EU | Europe | 96.35% |
| UEFA European Championship | EU | Europe | 95.90% |
| Premier League | England | Europe | 95.60% |
| La Liga | Spain | Europe | 95.50% |
| Copa America | South America Nations | South America | 95.40% |
| The African Cup of Nations | African Nations | Africa | 94.80% |
| Copa Libertadores | South America Nations | South America | 95.15% |
The included table contains some of the most famous soccer betting tournaments around the globe and their payout percentages. The bigger and important the contest, the more balanced the competition between the teams. However, the most important thing for you is always to seek the highest soccer betting odds & payouts and maximize your potential yield.
Soccer Leagues and Tournaments
The beloved game is abundant in events that tipster can bet on. From the top soccer leagues in Europe, South & North America, Asia, and Australia, to lesser-known ones, punters can enjoy hundreds of divisions and betting markets. The tournament coverage and interest in online soccer betting and betting on soccer grow yearly and include even amateur and college divisions.
The best sports betting sites cover more than 100 leagues and tournaments from around the world. The most prominent among them are the international FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship that gather millions of fans. However, those tournaments happen only once in a few years, so let’s have a look at the most popular local soccer leagues.
Premier League
The top-flight of English soccer, also known as EPL, is arguably the best and most competitive in the world and among the favorite for tipsters. Manchester United and Liverpool are the two most titled teams in the league, however, they have healthy competition in the face of Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal.
La Liga
La Primera División, better known as La Liga to English speakers, is the top tier Spanish soccer league. Real Madrid and Barcelona are the two best local teams that also dominated the European stage in the past decade. Inevitably many punters place their wagers on those powerhouses on a weakly basis as somewhat sure bets.
Serie A
The Italian Calcio is another one of the top-flight leagues in Europe. Juventus is among the most distinguished teams and has been absolutely dominating the league in the past decade. The Old Lady is a record titleholder with 9 consecutive and a total of 35 championships. Therefore, you might consider an outright bet for the team next season.
Bundesliga
The Bundesliga is the highest level of professional soccer in Germany and also highest attended by spectators worldwide. With very little competition in the past decade, Bayern Munich is reigning the league with 8 consecutive titles and a record of 30 in total. Similarly to Juventus, punters can take advantage of the dominance of the Bavarians and make an easy buck with outright bets.
The Best Soccer Betting Sites
Now that you have a bit more clarity, you can get started by signing up for the best soccer betting sites. We’ve compared 5 of them that cover all the necessary criteria such as lucrative bonuses and offers, high odds, an abundance of soccer markets, and cashout feature. Check out the table below and choose the sportsbook that suits you best.
| Soccer Betting Site | Welcome Bonus | Pros and Cons | Test Score | Trusted Link | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Hill | $20 | Reputable Operator, Diverse Sports Markets, Wagering Applies | 99% | www.williamhill.com | |
| 888sport | ￡30 | Attractive Promotions, Variety of Bets, E-Wallets Welcome Offer Restrictions | 99% | www.us.888sport.com | Full T&Cs apply. 18+. New customers only. The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least once with cumulative odds of 1.5 or greater. Wagering must be cleared within 90 days. This offer may not be combined with any other offer. Withdrawal restrictions and full Terms and Conditions apply. |
| bet365 | $200 | Regular Offers, Trusted Operator, Wagering Applies | 98% | www.nj.bet365.com | Full T&Cs apply. 18+. New customers only. Registration Required. Min deposit $5. Bet Credits available to use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bets and payment methods exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and full Terms and Conditions apply. |
| 22Bet | $250 | Many Sports Markets, 24/7 Support, No Live Chat | 98% | www.22bet.com | Full T&Cs apply. 18+. New customers only. Enter bonus code 50SPORT when making first deposit and wager your deposit once on betting markets with odds of at least 1.65 within 30 days. Activated bonus carries wagering conditions of 10 times. Min odds 1.65. Full Terms and Conditions apply. |
Betting on soccer is probably the most popular sport among punters, however, there’re other great sports on which you can try your skills. One prime example is the eSports that are taking over the world by storm. We give valuable tips on how to bet on esports in our informative guide.
Bookmaker Offers & Bonuses
When you start your real money journey, it’s best to look out for the top soccer betting offers. To recognize them, you’ll need some insides on what actually a great bonus is to use for soccer betting. For starters, keep your eyes peeled to the wagering conditions and minimum odds required for the promotion to be claimed.
Also, pay attention to the payment methods accepted towards the offer, as not all electronic wallets are eligible for bonuses. Luckily, we’ve found the top of the liter online soccer betting sites that tick all boxes. Have a look at our top 5 recommended sportsbooks for soccer betting promotions.
| Soccer Betting Site | Bonus* | Wagering Requirement | Min Odds | Min Deposit | Top Payment Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unibet | Up to $250 | 1x | 1.33 | $10 | MasterCard |
| William Hill | Up to $20 | 1x Bonus + Deposit | n/a | $10 | Discover |
| 888sport | ￡30 in free bets | Settle the qualifying bet | 1.80 | $10 | Netteler |
The most common among best soccer betting offers include a 100% deposit match and a very flexible T&C. This means that you can wager the required number of times on pre-match and in-play bets alike. Wagering on live footy is one of the greatest perks of online soccer betting, and we’ll tell you why in the next paragraphs.
Live Soccer Betting
Nowadays, many players prefer to live soccer betting as a more dynamic and realistic way of securing a profit. The best soccer betting sites have perfected the in-play odds updates and the total number of markets available, which makes them a desired destination for punters. Also, they broadcast the top-tier leagues and tournaments, which helps tipsters adjust their strategy in real-time.
Top for Live Betting
For instance, you can bet on a corner, goal, or card within the next 10 mins. Watching the game while keeping an eye on the odds movement and the clash itself, allows you to make a much better decision of what will happen next. The suggested bookie is one of the top online soccer betting sites in the world, so be sure to check for yourself.
The Best Soccer Betting App
The soccer betting apps are another benefit of advanced technologies. They give you everything the desktop version of the sportsbook and sometimes even more. The live streaming and in-play bets are still part of the deal, but in addition, some bookies will encourage you to bet on soccer from your smart device with extra promos.
Of course, the best soccer betting apps are optimized for Android and iOS alike. Playing on the go is overtaking the desktop, which is the main reason why the operators develop their platforms mobile-first oriented. If you’re going to take advantage of the best soccer betting apps, make sure that your device is ready to embrace its full potential.
Becoming a pro tipster will require some investments from your side, so a reliable smartphone or tablet is a must. You definitely don’t want to experience a freeze in the wrong moment of your live soccer betting when the odds and the action are incredibly dynamic.
New Soccer Betting Sites
Many fresh soccer betting sites are entering the market in a lookout for expanding their services. It’s our duty to keep track of the gambling market, thus we noticed the new kid on the block that is a perfect fit for your soccer betting strategy.
This new bookie has great soccer betting offers and a mobile app. It’s also fully licensed and reliable as our experts have made sure that we only recommend safe sportsbooks. As a piece of advice, make your own due diligence before signing up at a new operator to avoid data theft or worse.
States & Countries Where to Legally Bet on Soccer
If you’re a resident of the USA, Canada, UK, Germany, India, and Nigeria, we have good news for you, because soccer betting is 100% legal in your countries. However, you need to pay attention to the lawful age requirements that vary from 18 to 21 years in the different countries.
| Country | Legal Age | Online Sport Betting |
|---|---|---|
| USA | 21 | Yes |
| Canada | 19 | Yes |
| UK | 18 | Yes |
| Germany | 18 | Yes |
| India | 21 | Yes |
| Nigeria | 20 | Yes |
The table above is just a snippet of the countries where soccer betting is allowed. Most European countries gave a green light, while some states in America are still hesitant. We have provided useful information regarding the status of online sports betting in greater detail.
Of course, if you’re looking for loopholes, you can always find some. While some countries and US states have deemed betting on soccer an illegal activity, you can always register to an offshore sportsbook. This is an excellent way for tipsters to avoid lawful issues and yet fulfill their gaming desires.
Soccer Betting Tips and Strategies
It’s about time we drop some real pro soccer betting tips for you. After all, bettering yourself always comes down to learning from the best. Prior to heading on to more advanced soccer betting strategies a good way to improve your skills would be following these simple tips:
- Don’t Gamble, Invest Instead– checking all the available information and facts allows you to make an educated decision and betters your chance of winning. Don’t gamble your money away but rather invest them smartly like a pro tipster.
- Don’t Bet on Your Emotions – if you’re frustrated because you’ve entered a losing streak, don’t bet based on your anger. Anger is your worst consultant, so better take a day off and evaluate where things went wrong.
- Learn Bank Management – no one wins 100% of the time, so it’s important to keep track of your funds at all times. Bank management is one of the most critical skills you’ll need for a successful soccer betting endeavor.
- Use Odds Comparison Platforms – to find the best soccer betting odds, you can leverage different platforms that compare the odds from various bookies. They’ll give you an edge to make a value bet or arbitrage bet.
- Follow the Pros – some websites specialize in providing soccer betting tipsters competitions where you can follow the best in the industry. You can register and participate yourself while learning on the go and compete for prize money.
Adopting the best practices of soccer betting tips are a fundamental part of every punter’s skillset. Becoming a successful tipster is not a sprint but a marathon, so be patient and continuously improve yourself. That’s why it’s essential to master them alongside other more advanced strategies which we collated in the table below.
| Strategy | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Martingale | Arguably the best known and most dangerous strategy. Using Martingale requires a big bankroll and nerves of steel because you need to double your wager after every lost bet. For it to work successfully, you need odds of at least 2.00 or higher. |
| Bet Builders | Earlier in our soccer betting guide, we mentioned that Bet Builders are an exclusive feature for this sport. It’s also an exciting new way to apply your knowledge by combining up to 6 different markets on the same soccer clash. Over/under bets on cards, corners, and goals are the most preferred by tipsters. |
| Exchanges | Using soccer betting exchange will allow you to back and lay your bets against other players. Wagering against other punters eliminates the margins incorporated by bookies and provides more efficient odds. This strategy is especially successful for in-play wagers, where the dynamic of the payouts is vast. |
| Arbitrage Bets | The arbitrage bets are possible thanks to the price difference for the same market between the sportsbooks. This is a 100% sure winning strategy because it covers all outcomes with a guaranteed profit. Nevertheless, finding such glitches is very difficult and requires multiple account registrations and odds comparison platforms. |
| Matched Bets | Similarly to the Arbs bets, Matched bets cover all possible outcomes. The main difference is that you take advantage of the free bet from the sportsbook and lay against it at an exchange. It’s 100% risk-free, which means that you don’t gamble but invest instead, which was our first soccer betting tip. |
The great thing about our advanced best soccer betting strategy list is that it’s also applicable to other sports. In fact, strategies such as back and lay bets work even better with sports such as boxing and MMA because there’re only two results possible. Take our soccer betting tips for what they’re worth and remember.
History of Soccer Betting
Soccer betting has undergone multiple metamorphoses through the history of the UK and the US. At times, the sports betting was utterly banned in those countries, but now it all worked out for the best. Have a look at our brief soccer betting timeline and learn how the various features shaped the industry.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1960 | In 1960 the Betting and Gambling Act was enacted by the British government as a means to take the illegal gambling of the streets and pave the way to legal sportsbooks. |
| 1992 | The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (also known as PASPA) practically prohibited all forms of sports gambling in the US. |
| 2002-2003 | The first-ever deal between a soccer club and a sportsbook was made. It was between the English team Fulham and the bookmaker Betfair. Nowadays, such sponsorship deals are part of every marketing strategy. |
| 2006 | The first live streaming service was launched on the popular sportsbook bet365. The revolutionary feature at the time has since become a standard within the gaming industry. |
| 2011 | Another game-changing feature was introduced to the gaming community when Betfair launched Cash Out. Currently, most sportsbooks offer the cashout feature on their platforms and continuously improve the algorithms. |
| 2018 | In May 2018, the supreme court case, known as Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, has overturned PASPA and legalized soccer betting and other sports gambling in most states. |
It’s incredible how many of the features we know and love today didn’t exist before the new millennia. We take live streaming and cashout for granted, but the fact is that the latest technologies allowed us to make a huge leap. Betting on soccer has never been so accessible as it is today, and the tendencies show that it will only improve.
Final Thoughts
Soccer is singlehandedly the champion of all sports when we talk about betting. It also the most popular and adored form of professional activity, which gathers millions of different people, regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity. Soccer is passion, and thanks to the best soccer betting sites, it’s also a means for unlimited income possibilities.
Top Offer
Within our extensive soccer betting guide, we gave you all pro tips and strategies to better your game plan. We even included a list of the best online gambling sites, which make the entire experience all the more pleasant and profitable. Our experts follow all the latest developments and trends, ensuring that the information is up to date.
FAQ
With every paragraph you’ve read in our handbook, you came one step closer to fulfilling your mission of becoming a better punter. If you still have some questions, however, we’d like to give you some more straight forward soccer betting tips in the form of a comprehensive Q&A section.
1. How does football betting work?
Football betting is by far the most famous sport and therefore most popular among tipsters. Getting started will require you to learn the basic rules first, and then move on to more advanced football betting strategies. If you're new and need some advice, or betting on soccer guide is the perfect place to start.
2. How to win money betting on football?
Betting on football could be very profitable, but it requires a lot of dedication and discipline. An excellent way to make money is by following advanced football betting tips and learn from the pros in the business. Strategies such as Matched Betting and Arbitrage Betting are two of the most secure methods of making money.
3. What is the best online football betting site?
The abundance of top-rated online football betting sites is really impressive. In our guide, we compare some of them by various metrics. Distinguishing who the best football betting site is subjective, however, you can either rely on our expertise or make your own educated decision after reading our page.
4. Are there any good football betting offers?
The top-tier sportsbooks put a lot of emphasis on their soccer betting markets, continually looking for a way to attract new punters and keep existing ones. Regular price boosts, cash backs, and reload bonuses are some of the best football betting offers which bookies use in order to leverage from potential customers.
5. What is the best football betting app?
Pretty much all premium sportsbooks build their platforms with a mobile-first approach due to the demand they face. The best football betting app is a combination of impeccable UX, a full set of soccer markets and other features. We've tested many high-quality betting apps for football to narrow down our choice.
6. What does over/under mean in football betting?
Over/under is a soccer betting type that stands for a number of markets such as goals, corners, and cards. The bettor aims to guess if the match will have less than the bookmakers' line or more, hence over/under. For example, if the bet is over 2.5 goals, this means that the game needs at least 3 goals scored.
7. What is live football betting?
This is another popular form of placing your football wagers and implies a real-time update of an in-play event. When punters bet on live football, they have to be logged into their sportsbook account and follow the progress of the match as it happens and adjust their wagers accordingly.
8. What are odds in betting football?
The term betting odds represent the probability of a certain outcome and the multiplier on your wager. For instance, betting on a football team with odds 2.00 will double your initial bet. If your desired team is given odds in the range of 1.10-1.35, this means that the team is a favorite according to the bookie, but your potential win is lower.
9. How do betting odds work in football?
Different types of odds are used thought different countries – Fractional, Decimal, and American. To figure out your potential profit, you need to calculate the odds of the match multiplied with your stake. A good example to illustrate will look like this: 4/1 (Fractional); 5 (Decimal); +400 (American); 20% (probability of win) x $10bet = $50 ($40 profit)
10. What are the top football leagues to bet on?
The most popular sport in the world is an abundant of leagues and competitions. However, the top football leagues to bet on are the ones that have a lot of mainstream interest and information. This is essential for your pre-match research because a competition such as the Premier League has tons of news.
John Isaac is one of the editors at online-gambling.com. He is an expert at card games, such as blackjack and poker. In addition, he writes about the US gambling laws and the Indian and Dutch gambling markets.